Direct and Indirect Speech


Direct Speech

Direct Speech is when we report what someone says by repeating the exact words.

In writing, we use inverted commas :


Michele : I’ll call them tomorrow.                       (Original Statement)

Michele said, “I’ll call them tomorrow.”         (Direct Speech)

“I’ll call them tomorrow”, said Michelle.         (Direct Speech)




Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech (also calles reported speech) is when we give the same meaning of what someone says without repeating the exact words.
In this case, we don’t use inverted commas and certain changes may be necessary:

David : I have to talk to you about something.             (Original Statement)

David said he had to talk to me about something.     (Indirect Speech)


Example Direct and Indirect Speech

Kalimat Perintah dan Larangan

   Kalimat Perintah

Dinda asked me, “Open the door.” (Direct Speech) Dinda asked me to open the door. (Indirect Speech)

   Kalimat Larangan


Dinda asked me, “Don’t open the door.”

Dinda asked me not to open the door.



(Direct Speech)

(Indirect Speech)


Kalimat Pernyataan


Khansa told her friend, “I will go to Lampung.”

Khansa told her friend that she would go to Lampung.



(Direct Speech)

(Indirect Speech)

Kalimat Pertanyaan


  Mr. Ali asked me, “Where do you live.”

  Mr. Ali asked me where I lived.


(Direct Speech)

(Indirect Speech)


Simple Present menjadi Simple past


She said, “I buy a pen.”

She said that she bought a pen.


(Direct Speech)

(Indirect Speech)


Simple Past Tense diubah menjadi Past Perfect Tense

    She said, “I bought a pen.”                         (Direct Speech)

    She said that she had bought a pen.     (Indirect Speech)

Present Continuous Tense menjadi Past Continous Tense

She said, “I am buying a pen.”               (Direct Speech)

She said that she was buying a pen. (Indirect Speech)

Present Perfect Tense menjasi Past Perfect Tense

  She said, “I have bought a pen.”       (Direct Speech)

  She said that she had bought a pen. (Indirect Speech)

Present Perfect Continuous menjadi Past Perfect Continuous

She said, “I have been buying a pen.”                      (Direct speech)

She said that she had been buying a pen.                (Indirect Speech)

Simple Future Tense menjadi Past Future Tense

She said, “I will buy a pen”.                        (Direct Speech)

She said that she would buy a pen.         (Indirect Speech)

Future Continuous Tense menjadi Past Future Continuous Tense

She said, “I will be buying a pen.”                    (Direct Speech)

She said that she would be buying a pen.     (Indirect Speech)

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